Russia sending troops to syria

World International Affairs Donald Trump President Donald Trump has stoked further speculation about potentially using military action to pressure regime change in Venezuela by sending troops to Colombia. The Trump administration recognized National Assembly head Juan Guaidó as "interim" leader of Venezuela last month, a challenge to socialist Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, who has accused the White House of plotting a coup against him. The U.S. has since expanded sanctions against Maduro's government and the country's state-owned oil company, with the president asserting that "all options are on the table." After sanctions were announced at a press conference last month, observers noticed White House national security adviser John Bolton held a note pad with the phrase "5,000 troops to Colombia" written on it, raising the possibility of a U.S. military deployment to Venezuela's neighbor to the west. (To Venezuela's east is U.S.-backed, right-wing-led … [Read more...] about Donald Trump Says ‘We’ll See’ Whether U.S. Sends Military to Colombia to Take on Venezuela’s Maduro

World The United States has reportedly sent additional troops to Syria and planned to maintain a presence there, in spite of President Donald Trump's announcement of a total withdrawal last month. Citing local sources, Turkey's official Anadolu Agency reported Monday that the Pentagon deployed 600 troops to support personnel in the process of withdrawing from the war-torn country, where a U.S.-led coalition has supported local, Kurdish-led forces against the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) in a campaign deemed illegal by the Syrian government. CNN cited two U.S. defense officials Wednesday as saying that additional forces, potentially infantry, had been deployed to Syria to defend departing soldiers, a strategy previously mentioned in the Associated Press' reporting of the classified withdrawal plan. The Pentagon's stated mission in Syria was to destroy ISIS, which Trump declared "defeated" as the partnered Syrian Democratic Forces claimed crucial victories against the … [Read more...] about U.S. Just Sent More Troops to Syria, Is Looking to Keep Some There to Take on Iran, Reports Say

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia’s defense minister says Moscow will send more modern S-300 missile defense systems to Syria following last week’s downing of a Russian plane. Syrian government missile defense systems last week shot down a Russian military plane, killing all 15 people on board. Russia laid the blame squarely on Israel, saying that its fighter jet pushed the Russian aircraft into the line of fire.Russian officials said Syria’s outdated S-200 systems weren’t sophisticated enough to identify the Russian plane as a friendly one. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said in a statement on Monday that Russia will send newer S-300 missile defense systems to Syria within the next two weeks. Shoigu said the supply of S-300 to Syria will “calm down some hotheads” whose actions “pose a threat to our troops.” … [Read more...] about Russia Says Will Send Newer S-300 Missile Systems to Syria

Zeina Karam, Associated Press Updated 1:06 am CDT, Thursday, September 13, 2018 This photo released on Monday, Sept. 10, 2018 by the Syrian Civil Defense group known as the White Helmets, shows smoke rising from a Syrian government airstrike, in Hobeit village, near Idlib, Syria. High-level diplomats from Iran, Russia and Turkey were meeting Tuesday with the U.N. envoy for Syria about creating a committee to revise the war-battered country's constitution. Tuesday's talks in Geneva under U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura come amid concerns he and other U.N. officials have expressed about a looming battle for Idlib. (Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets via AP) less This photo released on Monday, Sept. 10, 2018 by the Syrian Civil Defense group known as the White Helmets, shows smoke rising from a Syrian government airstrike, in Hobeit village, near Idlib, Syria. ... more Photo: AP In this Tuesday Sept. 11, 2018 … [Read more...] about Q&A: Idlib battle a climactic end to Syria rebellion?

World International Affairs Russia has reportedly deployed to Syria its largest naval contingent since its entrance to the conflict, as the U.S. escalated its rhetoric about an upcoming potential chemical weapons attack that Washington has warned would result in military action. As tensions between the U.S. and Moscow in Syria continued to spiral, Russian newspaper Izvestiya reported Tuesday that Russia had sent an unprecedented grouping of 10 ships, mostly armed with Kalibr cruise missiles, and two submarines to the eastern Mediterranean—with more naval assets on the way—in response to an apparent U.S. military buildup in the region. Russia's Kommersant further reported that Moscow had mobilized two Tor-M2 surface-to-air missile defense systems in Syria and that the country's air defenses had been placed on high alert in anticipation of a potential U.S. assault, which the Russian Defense Ministry has said would come after a "false flag" chemical weapons attack staged … [Read more...] about Russia Sends Largest Force to Syria As U.S. Prepares for Attack, Reports Say